Antenna



C. W. RENZ Nov. 12, 1935.

ANTENNA Filed March 11, 19155 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor ('onrad W Fen/3 imaafizn Attorney Nov. 12, 1935. c w ENZ 2,020,656

ANTENNA Filed March 11, 1935 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Conrad WFe Attorney Nov. 12, 1935. c, w RENZ 2,020,656

ANTENNA Filed March 11, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet s Inventor [bare/d Wfen Attomey V Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in antennze and more particularly to an antenna especially adapted for use on auto-- mobiles.

An important object of the invention is to provide an antenna especially adapted for use in conjunction with automobiles wherein various adjustments of the antenna can be obtained to accommodate the receiver for various kilocycles frequency broadcasts.

During the course of the following specification other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of an automobile with its side portion broken away to disclose the invention installed thereon.

Figure 2 represents a top plan view of the coil and contactor apparatus.

Figure 3 represents a cross sectional view of the coil.

Figure 4 represents a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents an edge elevational view of the contact carrying plate.

Figure 6 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the toe board of the automobile showing the coil contactor controlling means.

Figure 7 represents a bottom plan view of the coil contactor.

Figure 8 represents a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram of the device.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen in Figure 1 that numeral 5 represents the body of an automobile which includes the floor 6 and the toe board 1.

Numerals 8, 9,10 and Il represent the elongated antenna elements which are of course metallic and preferably copper, these are strung along under the automobile and supported in any suitable manner.

The coil apparatus is generally referred to by numeral I2 in Figure 1 and as is clearly shown in Figure 2, the apparatus is located in a container I3. The coil is longitudinally tapered, the same being denoted by numeral l4 and wound on a core l5 of corresponding shape. The core is hollow and semi-circular in cross section, but provided with a flat top portion l6. This of course results in the coil being flat at the top thereof throughout its entire longitudinal extent. As is clearly shown in Figure 9, jumpers l1, l8, l9 and 20 extend from the antenna strips 8, 9, l and II to the contacts 2|, 22, 23 and 24 respectively, which are in the path of the arcuate shaped contact strip 25 on the bottom side of the segmental shaped body 26 which is swingably mounted on the pin 21 as shown in Figure 2.

This contactor body 26 is mounted within the container l3 adjacent the coil I4 and at one end is provided with a laterally disposed extension 21 along which the extension 28 of the contact strip 25 is disposed and this extension 28 terminates in the depending spring contact finger 29 which is capable of wiping along the fiat top portion of the coil M.

The radio receiver 30 is connected by the conductor 3| to one end of the coil 14.

By referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that the aforementioned contacts 2|, 22, 23 and 24 are mounted on a dielectric plate 33 adjacent the coil l For actuating the contactor body 26, a cable 32 disposed through the conduits 33 is connected to the contactor body 26 as at 34. Suitable bracket means 35 is provided for the conduit 33 and as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 6, the forward end of the cable 32 is connected to the depending leg 36 of the U-shaped rockable element 31, this ele- 30 ment 31 being rockably supported as at 38 on the bracket 39 and operative through the slot 40 in the toe board I of the automobile body. Each upper end of the U-shaped element 31 is provided with a foot plate 4 l.

Obviously by rocking the U-shaped element 31, in one direction, the cable 32 will be pulled so as to rock the contactor 26 to cause the contact finger 29 thereof to wipe along the coil I4 in one direction, and of course a reversal in operation of the rockable element 31 will drive the contact finger 29 in the opposite direction. In this manner, not onlyis the coil l4 fragmentarily cut in and out of the antenna circuit, but at the same time one or more than one of the antenna strips 8, 9, l0 and II is cut in or out due to the fact that as the finger 29 wipes along the coil, the conductor strip 25 is wiping along the contacts 24, 23, 22 and 2| progressively.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the 50 invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a plurality of antenna strips, an antenna coil, a swingable contactor body provided with a contact finger for slidable electrical engagement with the coil, a plurality of contacts each connected to a corresponding antenna strip, a conductor strip on the aforementioned contactor in connection with the said contact finger and being operative to progressively engage the said contacts connected with the said antenna strips.

2. In combination, a plurality of antenna strips, an antenna coil, a swingable contactor body provided with a contact finger for slidable electrical engagement with the coil, a plurality of contacts each connected to a corresponding antenna strip, a conductor strip on the afore-' mentioned contactor in connection with the said contact finger and being operative to progressively engage the said contacts connected with the said antenna strips, and means for remotely controlling the said contactor body.

3. In combination, a plurality of antenna strips, an antenna coil, aswingable contactor body provided with a contact finger for slidable electrical engagement with the coil, a plurality of contacts each connected to a corresponding antenna strip, a conductor strip on the aforementioned contactor in connection with the said contact finger and being operative to progressively engage the said contacts connected with the said antenna strips, and means for remotely controlling the said contactor body, comprising an elongated conduit and a cable extending through the said conduit and connected at one end to the contactor and provided with actuating means at its opposite ends.

4. In combination, a plurality of antenna strips, an antenna coil, a swingable contactor body provided with a contact finger for slidable electrical engagement with the coil, a plurality of contacts each connected to a corresponding antenna strip, a conductor strip on the aforementioned contactor in connection with the said contact finger and being operative to progressively engage the said contacts connected with the said antenna strips, and means for remotely controlling the said contactor body, comprising an elongated conduit and a cable extending through the said conduit and connected at one end to the contactor and provided with actuating means at its opposite ends, actuating means comprising a rockable U-shaped element provided upon its leg portions with a foot plate and having a depending leg connected to the said cable.

CONRAD W. RENZ. 

